[Akechi's brains have always rivaled Armin's. It's something Armin enjoyed as they were growing up, and came to rely on as dearly as he relied on breathing when they fought together on the battlefield. Akechi Goro is, in fact, just the one of the two geniuses that happened to please Eren enough to stay on his good side. That makes them both all the more formidable.
[All that is to say, Akechi knows that this meeting isn't chance, and that Armin is indeed after Eren; Armin is well aware of this - knew before he ever stepped foot in Shiganshina. Talk about hiding in plain sight. Akechi mentioning Eren feels like someone dangling a piece of candy in front of a starving child. He must know that Eren won't meet with him. He also must know that Armin is determined to try anyway.
[There are an awful lot of pretenses here which won't be dropped. Akechi is a hard man to lie to.]
It has been. [Armin isn't overly friendly about it. It hasn't yet become clear that he and the Jaegerists are on different sides, but he knows he's under suspicion. He's amicable and calm, pleasant enough - Akechi wouldn't believe anything more.
[However, genuinely, painfully, and as always:] It's always good to see you, Goro.
[If his old friend knows him at all, he'll know it isn't a lie. They can all be together again. Armin has to believe that.]
instructions unclear, im in the pear bin, pls continue
[Friendly. Polite. None of it's unexpected. Meetings between the conflicting groups are tense, but there's enough familiarity between two leaders that allows some ease to settle in those watching.
The informality in Goro makes him want to wrap his fingers around Armin's neck - the sincerity in his voice impossible to place as real or fake. Another reason he would dig his nailbeds into the soft flesh under his chin, if he had an opportunity. Armin's a liar now and-
It keeps the tension taut in his shoulders, makes his posture straighten under the guise of getting comfortable. He's anything but.
Tone light, airy and free - he pretends like there isn't a noose around his neck, his voice.]
The same to you, Armin. Where are you heading today? Perhaps I could accompany you and we could catch up.
an employee asks you to leave the pear bin; he looks suspiciously familiar...
[He can see the way it pains his old friend, Armin's love. Some wound of betrayal opens up and bleeds in his heart. Their glory days are well and truly past them now. Does Armin's love cut Eren the same way it cuts Akechi?
[How did he go so wrong?]
I'd like to; however, I know you're well aware that I have a reason for coming to you. [There's no sharpness in his tone when he says this; his smile betrays some air of bashfulness, self-conscious self-awareness, like he's admitting to something.]
Not much time for simple conversation these days.
i don't leave, im a pear, that's appearant, it's pearsonal, my pearpuse is clear
[Spit it out sears and burns at the tip of his tongue, held back only by an ire melding together the cracked edges of his facade. It's important. It's vital. It's Armin and weakness is unacceptable in the wake of his searching expression. He's a rival. Needs to be watched. Needs to be maintained. He's a-
Voice blooming softness and a flicker of something that's been crushed into the dirt. It's soil for a rotting corpse that Akechi isn't digging up.]
No, I suppose not. Well then, I'll do my best to oblige any request from an old friend. Though given our current situation, I can't make any promises.
[Friend meant to sting. Meant to tear. Meant to rip into a festering wound to dig out any remaining compassion to rebury in that grave.
But his tone remains steady - filled with fake warmth and ease.]
[Akechi is Armin's friend. Always will be. The corners of Armin's eyes crease like they're narrowing, but it's just his smile. What happened to us?]
The situation is tenuous, I know. There isn't very much time left before Zeke and Eren kick off the Euthanization Plan. [Zeke's plan - Armin refuses to believe that it's Eren's - to sterilize the Eldian people with The Founding Titan's power.
[Armin's gaze sharpens on Akechi.]
Listen. There may be less time than we thought. I need to talk to Eren as soon as possible. [He's on your side, see? Of course, he doesn't realize that Akechi knows Eren's true plan; he doesn't know what Eren's true intentions are at all...]
🍐🍐🍐🍐🍐🍐🍐🍐🍐🍐🍐fuck YOU THE PEARS ARE MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🍐🍐🍐
A new tactic. Armin's smart. Effective. The tone is a dull knife sharpening on his skull. Be on guard.
But he still has the fake vision of the future in his sights. A plan forgone for a grander scale venture, not that he would have a clue.]
Oh?
[Not a hint of anxiety in his tone. Less time than we thought feels more like a trap than a warning. Akechi's own eyes and ears have served well. Nothing is abnormal. Nothing is out of place, except for the blond man in front of him whispering hints of secrets like the dynamic isn't charged and lined with explosives. As if every word isn't a tentative blaze waiting to happen.
Both arms wrap across his chest and he lets all his weight settle against on foot. Attentive. Feign some concern.]
Given the rush, I suggest you tell me. I can pass it along. Wouldn't that be more effective than running around aimlessly?
Edited (“giving myself enough room to center myself and then quickly transform into a handsome helicopter. did you know shadow the hedgehog has a gun in the acclaimed sequel final fantasy of symphonia gears of war????) 2024-04-03 23:50 (UTC)
[Aimlessly? As if Akechi doesn't know exactly where to find Eren. Armin shakes his head, making a soft but polite sound of disagreement.]
I have to disagree with that. [His voice remains urgent, though not overly so. If there was too much of a panic, then Armin would have no reason not to deliver the message.]
Goro, you...know very well what can happen when messages are delivered through a second person. We need to talk, strategize. It's a conversation, not a message.
Then we can do that. If it's about strategy, then I would prefer to hear it now.
[There's no chance in hell that Armin will be lead where he wants. An even slimmer chance remains of Akechi falling back on his statement regardless of intel. Eren is here. Eren won't lose. It doesn't matter what mindless rats are getting worked up about inside or outside walls that are doomed to fall.
He gives a thoughtful hum after speaking - hand under his chin in pensive thought before a bright smile appears. It's fake. Ingenuine. Dangerous.]
Perhaps I'm being too hasty. I should really be accommodating to such an old friend - why don't we compromise. You start speaking and I'll start walking.
[The implication being Akechi will lead him where he wants in exchange for information he wants to hear.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
so imagine this: ur at a grocery store in the watermelon aisle
[All that is to say, Akechi knows that this meeting isn't chance, and that Armin is indeed after Eren; Armin is well aware of this - knew before he ever stepped foot in Shiganshina. Talk about hiding in plain sight. Akechi mentioning Eren feels like someone dangling a piece of candy in front of a starving child. He must know that Eren won't meet with him. He also must know that Armin is determined to try anyway.
[There are an awful lot of pretenses here which won't be dropped. Akechi is a hard man to lie to.]
It has been. [Armin isn't overly friendly about it. It hasn't yet become clear that he and the Jaegerists are on different sides, but he knows he's under suspicion. He's amicable and calm, pleasant enough - Akechi wouldn't believe anything more.
[However, genuinely, painfully, and as always:] It's always good to see you, Goro.
[If his old friend knows him at all, he'll know it isn't a lie. They can all be together again. Armin has to believe that.]
instructions unclear, im in the pear bin, pls continue
The informality in Goro makes him want to wrap his fingers around Armin's neck - the sincerity in his voice impossible to place as real or fake. Another reason he would dig his nailbeds into the soft flesh under his chin, if he had an opportunity. Armin's a liar now and-
It keeps the tension taut in his shoulders, makes his posture straighten under the guise of getting comfortable. He's anything but.
Tone light, airy and free - he pretends like there isn't a noose around his neck, his voice.]
The same to you, Armin. Where are you heading today? Perhaps I could accompany you and we could catch up.
an employee asks you to leave the pear bin; he looks suspiciously familiar...
[How did he go so wrong?]
I'd like to; however, I know you're well aware that I have a reason for coming to you. [There's no sharpness in his tone when he says this; his smile betrays some air of bashfulness, self-conscious self-awareness, like he's admitting to something.]
Not much time for simple conversation these days.
i don't leave, im a pear, that's appearant, it's pearsonal, my pearpuse is clear
Voice blooming softness and a flicker of something that's been crushed into the dirt. It's soil for a rotting corpse that Akechi isn't digging up.]
No, I suppose not. Well then, I'll do my best to oblige any request from an old friend. Though given our current situation, I can't make any promises.
[Friend meant to sting. Meant to tear. Meant to rip into a festering wound to dig out any remaining compassion to rebury in that grave.
But his tone remains steady - filled with fake warmth and ease.]
the employee is handsome rogue ren amamiya
The situation is tenuous, I know. There isn't very much time left before Zeke and Eren kick off the Euthanization Plan. [Zeke's plan - Armin refuses to believe that it's Eren's - to sterilize the Eldian people with The Founding Titan's power.
[Armin's gaze sharpens on Akechi.]
Listen. There may be less time than we thought. I need to talk to Eren as soon as possible. [He's on your side, see? Of course, he doesn't realize that Akechi knows Eren's true plan; he doesn't know what Eren's true intentions are at all...]
🍐🍐🍐🍐🍐🍐🍐🍐🍐🍐🍐fuck YOU THE PEARS ARE MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🍐🍐🍐
A new tactic. Armin's smart. Effective. The tone is a dull knife sharpening on his skull. Be on guard.
But he still has the fake vision of the future in his sights. A plan forgone for a grander scale venture, not that he would have a clue.]
Oh?
[Not a hint of anxiety in his tone. Less time than we thought feels more like a trap than a warning. Akechi's own eyes and ears have served well. Nothing is abnormal. Nothing is out of place, except for the blond man in front of him whispering hints of secrets like the dynamic isn't charged and lined with explosives. As if every word isn't a tentative blaze waiting to happen.
Both arms wrap across his chest and he lets all his weight settle against on foot. Attentive. Feign some concern.]
Given the rush, I suggest you tell me. I can pass it along. Wouldn't that be more effective than running around aimlessly?
no subject
I have to disagree with that. [His voice remains urgent, though not overly so. If there was too much of a panic, then Armin would have no reason not to deliver the message.]
Goro, you...know very well what can happen when messages are delivered through a second person. We need to talk, strategize. It's a conversation, not a message.
no subject
[There's no chance in hell that Armin will be lead where he wants. An even slimmer chance remains of Akechi falling back on his statement regardless of intel. Eren is here. Eren won't lose. It doesn't matter what mindless rats are getting worked up about inside or outside walls that are doomed to fall.
He gives a thoughtful hum after speaking - hand under his chin in pensive thought before a bright smile appears. It's fake. Ingenuine. Dangerous.]
Perhaps I'm being too hasty. I should really be accommodating to such an old friend - why don't we compromise. You start speaking and I'll start walking.
[The implication being Akechi will lead him where he wants in exchange for information he wants to hear.]
You won't say no, will you? For old times sake.